Line-testing switch.



J. M. WATKINS.

LINE TESTING SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED APRBO, 1914.

Patented Mar. 9, 1915.

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J. M. WATKINS.

LINE TESTING SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED APRPSO, 1914.

Patented Mar. 9, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

zrzvzssasv I v Arrozzvz THE NORRIS PETERS GOnPHOTDJJi'HOH WASHINGTDN. D. C.

JAMES M. WATKINS, 0F BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

LINE-TESTING SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Mar. 9, 1915,

Application filed April 30, 1914. Serial No. 835,435.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, JAMES M. VVATKINs, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of the city of Buffalo, county of Erie, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Line-Testing Switches, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

It is well known to those skilled in the art that when a short circuit or ground occurs in an electric circuit, such, for instance, as a telephone circuit, it is necessary to send a lineman out along the line from either of the two places between which the trouble occurs. This entails the service of one or more men and considerable time is spent in tracing the cause of the trouble, which may be at the place farthest from the point from which the repairer has started.

The principal object of my invention has been to provide a switch which may be placed anywhere in an electric circuit, but preferably midway ofthe length of the circuit, or one which may be placed at the city line of each city or town between which the circuit extends, and which may be electrically operated from either terminal of the circuit. When my switch is operated, the circuit is cut in two parts and each part is short circuited, thus making two complete circuits extending each way from the switch to the ends of the circuit.

When one of my switches has been installed between two terminals on the circuit and has been operated so as to cut theline in two and short circuit each part, the operators at either end of the circuit may easily ascertain in which part the trouble occurs, and then alineman may be sent out from the nearest point. Where the switch is located at each city line by operating first one and then the other, the operators at either end may ascertain whether the trouble is local, existing within that part of the circuit which lies within the city line, or whether the break or ground exists between two city lines. When the section, in which the trouble occurs, is once located, the trouble may be traced to nearly the exact location by well known resistance means.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which like characters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views, of which:

Figure l is a front elevation of my switch in operatlve or open position. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of a single sided switch adapted especially for telegraph circuits, and shows the circuits in a diagrammatical manner Fig. 4 is a diagrammatical view of my switch in its normal or open position and shows its contact points connected with the several circuits. Fig. 5 is a diagrammatical view of my switch in its closed position, and shows its connection with the circuits in a similar manner to that of Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawings, 6 represents the base of my switch, to which all of the parts are secured. V

'7 is a solenoid of my device, which is suitably secured to the base 6, and is provided with battery terminals 8 and 9.

10 is the sliding core of the solenoid, and carries, at its lower end, the movable switch member of my device which comprises a cross bar 11, carrying all the movable contact means. This cross bar is preferably of insulating material and carries at one end a vertical contact rod 12, and at its other end a vertlcal contact rod 13. These contact rods are vertically arranged in suitablebearing plates 14, secured to the base 6.

The form of switch shown in Fig. 3 being for telegraph circuits, where'one line is grounded, it is only provided with one vertical contact rod and its adjacent parts, but is otherwise substantially identical with the switch shown in Figs. 1 and 2. When the switch is in its normal or open position, the lower ends of the contact rods 12 and 13 are emersed in mercury contained in the mercury cups 15 and 16, respectively. When the switch is in its abnormal or closedposition, the contact rods 12 and 13 bear against and contact with suitable contact plates 17 and 18, respectively. These contact plates are connected together by means of an electric wire orlead 19.

At one extreme end of the cross bar 11 is provided a contact point 20, and at the other extreme end of the cross bar. isiprovided a contact point 21. These contact points 20 and 21 are insulated from the contact rods 12 and 13, but are connected together by means of an electric lead 22. When the switch is in its closed position, these contact points20 and 21 make contact with contact plates 23 and 24, respectively. The contact plate 23 is connected with the mercury cup 15 by means of an electric lead 25, and the contact plate 24 is connected with the mercury cup 16 by means of an electric lead 26. Also carried by the cross bar 11 is a contact point 35, which is arranged to bear against and make contact with a contact plate 36 when the switch is in its closed position. Connecting the contact point 35 with the binding post 37 is a flexible electric lead 38.

27 and 28 are binding posts, to which are connected one side of the line in which my switch is inserted, and 29 and 30 are binding posts to which the other side of the line is connected. Connecting the binding posts 27 and 23 with the contact rods 12 and 13, respectively, are flexible electric leads .31 and 32. Connecting the binding posts 29 and 30 with the mercury cups 15 and 16, respectively, are electric leads 33 and 34, respectively.

39 is a dash pot which is connected at the lower end of the solenoid core 10, whereby the same is damped in its action;

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 4 and 5, where my switch is shown in diagram and connected with the electric cir cuits, 40 and 41represent the line wires forming the circuit extending from one of the two circuit terminal points between which the switch is located, and 42 and 43 represent the line wires extending to the other of the two circuit terminal points. The wires 40 and 41 areconnected with the binding posts 27 and 23, respectively, of my switch, and the wires 42 and 43 are connected with binding posts 29 and 30, respectively, of my switch. iVhen in the position shown in Fig. 4, it will be seen that the current flowing through the wire 40 will be connected with the wire 42 through the flexible lead 31, vertical contact rod 12, mercury cup 15, lead 33 and binding post 29. Likewise, the wire 41 will be connected with the wire 43 through the flexible lead 32, vertical contact rod 13, mercury cup 16 and lead 34 to the binding post 30. Thus, it will be seen that when in this position, the circuit is closed or uninterrupted.

As my switch is placed some considerable distance from the point of operation, it is necessary that the same be operated by means of a relay located near the switch. In Fig. 4, 44 represents a relay, 45 a relay'battery and 46 a relay key; 47 and 48 represent the wires connecting the relay with the operating battery and key. A local switch battery 49 is provided, having one of its terminals connected with a switch solenoid terminal 9 by means or the wire 50, and the other terminal connected with suitable circuit closing means 51 by means of the lead 52-. The other side of the circuit closing means 51 is connected with the switch solenoid terminal 8 by means of the wire 53. The circuit closing means 51 is operated by means of a battery 54 suitably connected in series withthe said means and the relay 44. It will thus be seen that when the key 46 is depressed, the battery'45 will energize the relay 44 and by closing its contacts, the battery 54 will energize the circuit closing means 51, whereupon the battery 49 will energize the solenoid 7 of my device and operate the same. It will be understood that the same relay, relay battery, relay key, circuit closing means and solenoid battery are used in Fig. 5 as. are shown in Fig. 4, which parts and their connections have already been described.

l/Vhen the soilenoid 7 of my switch is ens ergized, the core 10 thereof will be drawnup into the solenoid and the cross bar 11 carrying the contact parts will be moved therewith. lVhen the cross bar 11 has reached its normal upper position, all of the contact points and rods will be in engagement with their respective contact plates as clearly shown in Fig. 5. As will be seen from this figure, when the switch is operated to the position shown, the current flowingthrough the wires 40 and 42 and wires 41 and 43 will be interrupted, and the wires 40 and 41'will be short circuited through the flexible leads 31 and 32, vertical contact rods 12 and 13,

bearing plates 17 and 18 and lead 19., The

wires 42 and 43 will be short circuited through leads 25 and 26, contact plates 23 and 24, contact'points 20 and 21 'andcon-.-

necting lead 22.

In order that the operator may know whether or not the switch is worklng, an;

annunciator 55 is provided, which is connected in a series with an annunciator ,bat-' tery 56. grounded at 57 and :as will be clearly seen cross bar 11 has been raised, as justabove described, the contact point 35 will be brought in contactwith its contact plate 36, and as this contact plate is grounded at 58, the circuit will be completed and the annunciator will indicate the fact that the switch has been operated.

The switch shown in Fig. 3, as before stated, is for circuits which have one side grounded, as, for instance, telegraph circuits. In'this figure, wires 59 and 60 represent the mainline in which the switch is inserted. This line is-normally closed by means of the lead 32,'contact rod 13, mercury cup 16 and lead '34. Then this form of switch is operated, the circuit formed by the wires 59 and 60 is opened when. the

lower end of therod 13 is drawn from the contact plate 18 and iwire '62. The wlre 60 One side of the annunciator is .105 from the diagrammatical figures, when the iso will also be grounded at 63 through the flexible lead 64, (connecting the contact point 21 with the binding post 30) contact point 21, contact plate 24 and a wire 65. The annunciator circuit in this form of switch is identical with that in the form shown in Figs. 4% and 5 above described. In Fig. 3, I have shown for clearness of illustration, an operating key and battery only, for the switch solenoid 7, and it is obvious that a relay and suitable circuit closing device is to be employed in this form of switch similar to that shown in Fig. 4.

It will be clearly seen from the above description that when my switch is operated,

the circuit in which it is inserted is opened by being cut in two parts, and each of these parts is immediately after short-circuited, thus forming two separate circuits. Each of these circuits may then be suitably and separately tested for loose connections, grounds or short circuits by any well known means, and the location of the troubles traced.

My switch is held in its closed position as long as the operator keeps the operating key A6 depressed. When this key is released, the relay 44: will denergize the circuit closing means 51, thus opening the solenoid circuit, and the movable switch member will then fall by gravity. Owing to the dash pot, the descent of the movable switch member will be very slow and there will be an interval of time between which the parts of the circuit are neither short-circuited, nor the main circuit closed. In this interval of time the operators may, by the use of a telephone receiver, ascertain whether any foreign currents exist in this section of the line, or whether either of the wires in either section are crossed.

Any number of my line testing switches may be employed in a circuit and thereby the circuit may be cut into two parts, each part being of such length as is desired.

Obviously, some modifications of the details herein shown and described may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the'appended claims, and I do not wish to be limited to the exact embodiment herein shown and described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A line testing switch comprising means, controllable at a distant point, for cutting the main circuit into two parts, and

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner Washington, D. O.

means for short-circuiting each part, whereby each may be separately tested.

2. A line testing switch, controllable from a distant point, for cutting a main line in two independently closed circuits comprising a movable switch member, means governing the action of said switch member, contact means for the main line and contact points for the two parts when shortcircuited.

3. A line testing switch, controllable from a distant point, for cutting .the main line cups to close the main line, and contact points, whereby the two parts of the main line will be short-circuited when the switch is operated.

5. A line testing switch, controllable from a distant point, for cutting the main-line in two independently closed circuits, a solenoid, a core for said solenoid, a cross bar carried by said core, contact rods and contact points carried by said cross bar, mercury cups having the lower ends of said contact rods emersed therein to close the main circuit, upper contact plates co-acting with the upper ends of said rods, means connecting said upper plates, lowercontact plates. co-acting with said contact points, flexible leads connecting one side of the main line with said contact rods, and leads connecting said lower contact plates with said' mercury cups and the other side of said main line, whereby the main line will be opened and the two parts thereof shortcircuited when the switch is operated.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES M. WATKINS.

Witnesses:

J. WM. ELLIS, WALTER H. KELLY.

of Batents, 

